The Red Violin (1998)

Antiques always have stories to tell, whether these were involved in changing the course of history or were things that belonged to notable people from several centuries ago. The Red Violin is such an example, and its story is woven into the historical fabric linking Cremona (Italy), Vienna (Austria), Oxford (England), Shanghai (China), and Montréal (Canada). My main takeaway from the movie though was how history added value to this musical instrument but the violin's real value came from its quality.

It all began with a famous violin-maker, Bussotti, who varnished his last violin with the blood of his pregnant wife (who recently died) in the late 1600s. Bussotti's violins were always well-made. This violin eventually fell onto the hands of a highly gifted orphan in Austria (late 1700s), whose musical talents attracted a music teacher. Unfortunately, the child died during an audition. The violin was buried with him but was dug up by gypsies. In the late 1800s, the gypsies traded the violin with the hospitality of a violin virtuoso in England. He received great praise while playing the Red Violin. When he died, his Chinese servant brought the violin to China where it stayed with an antique dealer until it was bought by a family with a young daughter in the 1930s. During the Chinese Cultural Revolution the young daughter (already a political officer) gave the violin to a music teacher for safekeeping. Years later, the teacher died amid the string instruments and government officials elected to sell them in an auction in Canada (1990s). The Red Violin sold for over $2,000,000; little did the auctioneers and the buyers knew that the appraiser had switched the real Red Violin with a copy very similar to it.

I can certainly see why people are willing to pay for an antique. The history that the object carries with it adds to its value... just like heirloom rice. However, stripping it of its story, heirloom rice is just rice; the Red Violin is just a violin. The quality of the product then becomes a major player in adding value. If the Red Violin wasn't as acoustically perfect as it was during its appraisal, people wouldn't be willing to pay so much for it... its story just wouldn't be as dramatic.